Strike with adjustable tongue



Nov. 7, 1961 E. L. SCHLAGE 3,007,732

STRIKE WITH ADJUSTABLE TONGUE Filed March 13, 1959 FIG 5 1 INVENTOR.

! l I H ERNEST L. SCHLAGE "rates 1Q air.

This invention relates to door strikes and more particularly to a strikeplate provided with a flange or tongue which is adapted to lie alongside the fiat face of a latch bolt when the door which carries the latch bolt is in closed position.

Heretofore it has been customary, in some door installations, to provide a strikeplate with a tongue to lie alongside the latch bolt. One example is found in marine strikeplates used on ships in which case the purpose of the tongue is to provide a smooth surface for engaging the latch bolt of the closed door so that vibration of the door relative to the door frame does not cause the latch bolt to be worn or cut. Such a result would otherwise occur because ordinarily the opening in the faceplate that receives the latch bolt is formed by stamping out the material of the faceplate thus presenting a relatively sharp edge to the latch bolt.

Another reason for employing such a tongue on a strikeplate is to permit the same to act as an adjustable stop for the latchbolt. See, for example Robertson Patent No. 2,645,516 dated July 14, 1953. In this case, the clearance between the latchbolt and tongue may be adjusted by bending the tongue so as to prevent rattling of the door.

Heretofore the operation of bending the tongue has been difficult because the inner free end of the tongue is difficult to grip by pliers or to engage with a screw driver or the like.

It has been proposed to drill a hole through the strikeplate alongside the latch bolt opening to permit insert ing a screwdriver or the like therethrough for manipulating the tongue. However, this procedure impairs the appearance of the strike and is likely to produce sharp edges to be engaged by the latch bolt during closing movement of the door.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means for permitting the carpenter to adjust the angularity of the strikeplate tongue without impairing the appearance of the strikep-late.

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a strike made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective of a modified form of the strike.

FIG. 3 is a perspective of another form of strike.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of still another form of strike with a portion of the strikeplate broken away to show the structure of the tongue.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal fragmentary cross section through a door and door frame showing the strike of FIG. 1 in cooperation with the latch bolt of the associated door.

In detail, the strike of FIG. 1 generally designated 1 is adapted to be secured to a door frame 2 (FIG. 5). A central opening 3 is formed in the strike 1 to permit the latchbolt 4 to pass therethrough when the door 5 is closed and engaging the door stop 6. A recess 7 is provided in the door frame 2 to receive latchbolt 4. Latchbolt 4 has the usual bevel side for engaging strike 1 and a keeper side or flat side 13 which holds the door in closed position.

For the purpose of securing the strike 1 to the frame 2 a pair of countersunk holes 8, 9 are provided for receiving therethrough a pair of wood screws (not shown) which are screwed into the door frame.

atcnt O i 3,397,732 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 In normal operation, upon closing movement of the door 5 the latch bolt 4 engages the arcuate lip 11 of the strikeplate and is retracted against the urgency of the latchbolt spring (not shown). When the door appreaches the fully closed position shown in FIG. 5 the latchbolt is projected through the opening 3 in plate 1 thus holding the door closed until the latchbolt is retracted.

By the present invention a flange or tongue 12 is struck from the plate 1 and is bent inwardly of the latchbolt opening 7 (FIG. 5). Said tongue is thus integrally secured to the strikeplate on the side of opening 3 nearer the camming tip 11 so that the flat side or keeper side of the latchbolt 4 lies alongside said tongue when the door is closed.

In an accurately installed door the tongue would preferably be bent to a position at right angles to the plate 1 (FIG. 5) so that the fiat side 13 of latchbolt 4 would engage the adjacent flat side of tongue 12. However, in many instances a clearance (FIG. 5 1) remains between the flat side 13 of latchbolt 4 and the tongue 12, assuming the latter to be at right angles to plate 1. In such a case the door will be permitted to rattle back and forth between tongue 12 and stop 6.

To prevent such rattling the tongue 12 is bent to a position such as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 5 so that the clearance is reduced as closely as possible to zero. It should be understood in this connection, however, that the tongue should not be bent so far that the latchbolt is prevented from projecting to its greatest possible extent. This is particularly important when the latchbolt is provided with a deadlocking mechanism because the proper operation of such mechanism may be prevented.

In order to permit adjustment of the angularity of tongue 12 a vertically elongated hole -15 (FIG. 1) is provided about centrally of the tongue 12. By passing a screwdriver through opening 3 in the plate 1 and inserting the tip of the screwdriver into hole 15 it is a simple matter for the carpenter to twist the tongue 12 and deflect it to the desired angular position to prevent rattling. It will be noted that the hole 15 provides a pair of opposed horizontally spaced shoulders 16, 17 through which the twisting efiort is applied to the tongue.

A somewhat simpler form of the invention is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the strike 21 is provided with a tongue 22 through which a circular hole 25 is drilled or stamped out. As before, a pair of horizontally spaced shoulders 26, 27 are provided for the same purpose.

In FIG. 3 a tongue 32 is shown on a similar strike 31. In this case a downwardly opening notch 35 is struck out along the lower edge of tongue 32 thus forming a pair of horizontally spaced shoulders 36, 37. A similar notch 39 may also be provided along the upper edge if desired.

In the form shown in FIG. 4 the tongue 42 is provided with a lip 48 at its inner free end and in which an aperture 45 is formed. The lip 48 is bent substantially perpendicular to tongue 42 so that it is a simple matter to insert the tip of a screwdriver through said aperture 45. In this case, however, the screwdriver will engage one of the opposite vertically extending side edges of opening 43 in plate 41 to obtain the necessary leverage to bend the tongue 42.

It is seen that the above described invention does not impair the appearance of the strike and is inexpensive to apply. The presence of the tongue on the strike insures that the recess 7 is made sufiiciently deep to permit the latchbolt to project to its maximum extent and 3 it is a simple matter to adjust the angularity of the tongue to prevent the door from rattling.

The very specific descriptions of the preferred forms of the invention are not to be taken as limitations of the invention as it is obvious the various modifications in design may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

An adjustable strike for a door provided with a latchbolt having a carnming side and a keeper side comprising: a plate adapted to be secured to the frame of a door and provided with an opening for receiving the latohbolt of said door therethrough when said door is closed, a tongue integral with said plate and bent to a position alongside the keeper side of said l-atchbolt, a lip integral with said tongue at the free end of the latter and angularly disposed relative thereto, said lip being formed with a through unobstructed opening adapted to receive theret-hrough an elongated member to permit exerting a twisting eifort on said tongue for bending the latter to different degrees of angularity relative to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

